Question

Member table carries 3 crucial fields:

userID – PK
username – unique
eMail – unique

In settings area, users can change their email address as long as the newly input email address doesn’t exist in db. I expect many users would request changing their usernames.

It would be great to allow users to change their usernames, but its a risky option and totally unsafe. For example, it could be a great opportunity for a scammer to play his/her game! Then change the username and carry on deceiving members! This is what i’m concerned about. Another problem, if a user is famous and well known then he/she changed the username! A scammer could pick the dropped username and then play his/her game.

Assuming the website is a general classified ads that has some features of forums.

My current solution is i do the changing for them (assuming there aren’t too many requests). However, their previous username will available for others to register. Is this how its done practically/formally?

Answer 1

You’re trying to deal with a social or people problem with a technical solution, which never really works for long.

In my opinion, here is your best plan of action:

1. Store a history of usernames
2. Allow people to change usernames no more than once every 30 days
3. The most important step is to fill moderator roles on the forums to ban spammers and “bad people”.

You will be unable to prevent spammers and scammers 100%, but you can make their work hard enough that your site is no longer “easy money” and they’ll go find some other low-hanging fruit.